1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Plasma Display Panel (PDP), and more particularly, to a PDP in which a discharge is easily initiated and in which a discharge delay is reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasma Display Panels (PDPs) are display devices which display images by exciting phosphors with ultraviolet (UV) rays generated during a gas discharge. PDPs have attracted considerable attention as a next-generation thin display device that can be easily manufactured in a large size and display high-resolution images.
Such PDPs are classified into Direct Current (DC), Alternating Current (AC) PDPs, and hybrid according to the structures thereof and the driving principles thereof. AC and DC PDPs can also be classified into facing discharge PDPs and surface discharge PDPs according to the type of discharge structure. In recent years, AC surface discharge PDPs have been generally used.
An AC PDP includes an upper plate displaying an image to users and a lower plate coupled to the upper plate, the lower plate and the upper plate being parallel to each other. Sustain electrode pairs, each having an X electrode and a Y electrode, are arranged on a front substrate of the upper plate. Address electrodes are arranged on a rear substrate of the lower plate that faces the front substrate on which the sustain electrode pairs are arranged, and intersect the electrodes on the front substrate. A first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are respectively formed on the front substrate, including the sustain electrode pairs, and the rear substrate, including the address electrodes, to bury the electrodes. A protection layer, which is typically formed of MgO, is arranged on the rear surface of the first dielectric layer. Barrier ribs, securing a discharge distance and preventing electrical and optical cross-talk between discharge cells, are arranged on the front surface of the second dielectric layer. Red, green, and blue phosphor materials are coated on both sidewalls of the barrier ribs and portions of the front surface of the second dielectric layer that are not occupied by the barrier ribs. The X electrode and the Y electrode respectively include transparent electrodes and respectively include bus electrodes. A space defined by an X electrode, a Y electrode, and an address electrode intersecting the X and Y electrodes is referred to as a unit discharge cell, which forms a single discharge portion.
To obtain a high-resolution image, discharge cells become smaller and smaller. This results in an increase in driving voltage and a decrease in the luminous efficiency. When Xe of 10% or more is used to solve these problems, a discharge voltage increases accordingly. Thus, this resolution fails to achieve stable driving.